Velocipede



(No Model.)

J. S.-GOPELAND.

VELOGIPEDE.

No. 469,626. Patented Feb. 23, I892.

UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES S. COPELAND, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE POPEMANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 469,626, dated February23, 1892.

Application filed November 4, 1889. Serial No- 329,236. (No model.)

well. These Safeties are constructed gener-' ally as single-trackmachines, having one wheel before the other, the forward one being aguiding-wheel and the rear one being a driving-wheel, revolvingsubstantially in the same plane, havinga comparatively long base on theground, and being comparatively low in height. They generally have atransverse handle-bar, forming the highest part of the machine, muchnearer one end than the other, connected with the guiding-wheel by meanseither of a steering-spindle connected rigidly with the fork, whichspans the steering-wheel and passing througha socket-head connected withthe frame of the machine, (as the construction is in the machine ofwhich I show in part in the accompanying drawings,) or

else of a steering-head connected rigidly with the fork which spans theguiding-wheel, and to which is secured a steering-spindle connected withthe frame of the machine. In the common daily use of these machines itis desirable and eqen necessary frequently to leave them in anearly-upright leaning position against the curb, fence, tree, house, orother object without the presence of a stand, socalled, and where onlysome one part of the machine can impinge upon the supporting object. Themachine so left or placed is insecureand liable to displacement .orinjury.

It is the object of my present improvement to construct the velocipedeso that the rider may easily lock or secure the steering-head and thesteering-spindle together, or, in other words, connect the main frame ofthe machine and the steering mechanism rigidly, so that the wheels muststay in the same relative position to each other, and thus render themachine once placed in position more secure and stable; also, to providea simple effective locking device or steering-clamp for this purposewhich will not injure the appearance of the machine, or render eitherthe machine or itself easily breakable under the use of the handle-bar,and which may be securely kept from jarring into operation andendangering the rider when the velocipede is being ridden. The way inwhich I attain these objects by the use of myimprovement in What Iconsider the best form of applying it is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 represents in vertical longitudinal sectiona part of a Safety velocipede, including parts of the main frame,steeringhead, steering spindle and fork, and my improved steering-clampdevices, all connected with the handle-bar and its support, as theyappear in side elevation. Fig. 2 shows parts of the same in nearlyhorizontal section on the broken line 1 y of Fig. 1 and other parts intop plan. Fig. 3 shows parts of the same in nearly horizontal section onthe broken line 00 0c of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows in vertical transversesection some of the same parts with a modified form of my improvedlocking device.

A is the steering -fork spanning the guiding-wheel of a velocipede.

A is a steering-spindle connected rigidly with the steering-fork.

A is the handle-bar support, A the transverse handle-bar, and A thesteering-handle.

I B is a socket steering-head rigidly connected with the reach B andbrace B of the main frame of the velocipede. The steering-head B incloses the steering-spindle A and has the bearingpieces B B at the ends,by which, through the interposed circular rows of balls C C, it takesits bearings on the collars A A of the spindle. On the spindle A is ascrewthread a, upon which the adjustable collar A fits and is held inposition ordinarily by the set-nut A As thus constructed, the spindle isfree to be turned in the socket, and by consequence the steering -wheelmay be turned in any direction by means of the handle-bar, or ofinequalities in the surface on which the velocipede is, or of unevenbalancing of the machine.

In constructing and combining myimproved clamp with this machine, I forma bracket or clamp D, preferably of sheet metal, with a plate part, asD, perforated to slide over the threaded portion of the spindle A andwhich may be held in a nearly horizontal position between the collar Aand the set-nut A as shown in Fig. 1. This plate is held from turningabout the axis of the spindle A, not only by the grip with whichitisheld between the set-nut and the collar,.bnt also by a feather d,operating in a groove in the threaded portion a.ThebracketorclampDisfurtherconstruoted with an arm D at right angles substantially with the plate D, which extends downward and is curvedforward and upward in a nib D Through the arm D and the nib D, I put asmall bolt E, having a milled head E for the thumb and fingers, athreaded portion E which may play in corresponding threads in either thearm or the nib, or both, and which has a stop E secured on it betweenthe arm and the nib, (it may be pinned on by pin, as (2 and the bolt Ehas a bearing portion E, which I prefer to construct conical or rounded,which, when the locking device is operated, finds a seat in the grooveor slot G made in or attached to the steering-head. About the threadedportion E of thebolt E, and between the arm D and the milled head E, Iplace a coiled spring F, which tends to push the bolt outward from thearm.

Now the operation of this device when placed in position, as shown inthe drawings and as above described, with the bracket D firmly held tothe steering center and so rigidly connected with the guiding-wheel and'steering mechanism, and with the bolt E of the locking device turned upso that the point E takes a firm seat in the holding-slot G in thesteering-head, so as to connect the clamp rigidly .with the main frameof the machine, then the operation of my improvement is to hold themachine rigidly together with the wheels in a fixed relation, and thenthe machine, however it be held in an upright or nearly upright positionby leaning against any object at any portion, is secured againstaccident. \Vhemhowever, the rider is ready to mount and use it or toguide it by means of the steering-handles, he turns the bolt E backwardby means of the milled head E until the collar E is brought against theinner face of the arm D when the point E is out of engagement with thesocket-head and the collar E impinging against the face of the arm,tends to secure the bolt in that position, and the spring F tends stillfurther to throw the head of the bolt away from the steeringhead, sothat by no jarring of the machine can the bolt be brought back intocontact with the steering-head.

I am aware that heretofore certain devices have been introduced in theform of springs and arms, or cams and springs, to obstruct the freedomof motion between the steering-head and the steering-spindle and make apartial resistance against the tendency to throw the steering-wheel outof position by obstacles in the road, and, also, that it has beenproposed to use a device or devices in the form of elastic connectionsbetween the handle-bar and the frame of the machine for a similarpurpose; but none of these devices, and no other device of which I amaware, has been constructed for the purpose, or in its use wouldaccomplish the purpose and result which I have in viewviz., to securelylock the machine in the same relative position of guiding and drivingwheels when not being ridden.

It is obvious that modifications may be made in the form of applying-myimprovementsas, for instance, as shown in Fig. 1, the arm D of the clampmay have a socket 1 internally threaded with the chamber I on theinside, and the locking-bolt H may have on the inner end of its threadedportion a conical collar H which, when the bolt is turned backward fromcontact with the steering-head, falls into the chamber 1, and byimpingement against the inner face is fairly secured from jarring loose.It is obvious, also, that other modifications might bemadeas,forinstance, in attaching the clamp to the steering-head insteadof the steering-spindle, making the clamp and locking-bolt of differentform, or connecting them in difierent Ways.

What I claim as new and of my invention 1s- The combination of spindleA, steeringhead B, fork A, reach B bracket D, with plate D, holding-armD nib D bolt E, collar E and spring F, constructed and combined tooperate essentially as set forth.

